The prize honors Charles E. Peterson, FAIA,
founder of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), and is intended to increase
awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of historic buildings, structures, and cultural landscapes
throughout the United States while adding to the permanent
HABS/HAER/HALS Collection of measured
drawings at the Library of Congress. To date, more than
3,000 students from 75 colleges and universities have
participated by completing more than 500 entries and almost
6,800 sheets of measured drawings. The students have worked
alone and in groups, in required courses, electives, independent
study and summer institutes. They have been, for the most
part, architecture students in addition to architectural
history, interior design, and American studies majors.